Bag dispensing device



Dec. 5, 1933. 4 T KELLY 1,938,025

BAG DISPENS ING DEV ICE Filed March 2, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l \\\\w \\\\\\\\VY T. L. KELLY 1,938,025

BAG DISPENS ING DEVICE Filed March 2, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 5, 1933 UNITED ysflATEs BAG'DISPENSING DEVICE Themas L. Kelly, Bakefseld, Calif. y vApplfmatimnMarch z, 1932. .serial No.' 596,271

4 Claims.

'My invention is a device from which paper bags may be readily withdrawn for filling the bags with merchandise. n

Paper vbags are usuallyfolded so that the bottom of the bag. has one iiap extending along one p side of the bag, that is, overlapping such'side, and the'other flap or'portion. extending beyond the side walls of the bag. AI make use of this feature of the folding of the bottom of the bag to facilitatey dispensing ofrsuch bags.

An object and feature of my invention in the bag dispensing device is a supporting structure for the bags in whichra stack may be-placed and one bag at a time removed from the front and .lowermostbag, the rack or device having the stack of bags preferably being inclined;' and in this connection a further feature of my inventionis a construction which forces one of the apsof the folded bottom of the bag outwardly so I that it may readily be grasped bythe fingers, this, flap being the one which is 'folded'against the sideofthebag. f

Y Another object andfeature' of my invention relates to the rack for bags in which the bags are rI placed in a stack andhave a weighted structure bearing on the back of the stack to force this toward the front of the rack, as above mentioned, the rack being preferably` inclined. With this.

type of device'A I` employ a stopping or resisting de# 301 vice which engages the lower edge of the folded bag bottom, that is, the fold'which extends beyond the side wall ofthe bag. Therefore, on account of the pressure on the back of the bags from the remaining bags in the stackY and the Weighted the folded bottom of the lbag bends, forcing the flap which is folded against the side ofthe bag outwardly. The bend of the bag bottom is limited by a bar or rod so that the flap of the bag'is in a convenient position for grasping by the hands. The bag may then bepulled up'- wardly through the opening in thearack through which the bottom of the bag extends.

Another characteristic feature of my invention is forming the rack of a wire frame construction substantially rectangular in shape except at thev lower front edge there is a longitudinal stop bar or rod. Such rodV is set inwardly from. the front faceof the rack. This is in the bottom of the rack. In the front of the rack and above this atan obtuse angle there' is a limit bar orrod which limits the outward bending or folding of the folded bag bottom.' There is an opening of suflicient size in the front ofthe racky to accommodate at least the folded bottom of the bag.V

Another feature of my invention relates to-the mounting of the pressure plate, this being a plate vsubstantially .the same sizer as the y bag when folded mounted on a rollervwhich operates on a track above the 4stack of bags, and on account` of the rack being tilted this pressure plate always gives a pressure on the back'of the stack. The

bags may be placed in the rack to form a stack by' inserting through the opening in thefrontA at the, lbottomV or an 1 opening at the top `in the front.'

The frame of the rack is usually made of wires Aspaced apart which gives plenty/of room forinserting a packageA of bags.

Another characteristic feature of my inventionV is that all Aof the bagsrmay be completely dispensed to thelast bag in the rack. It is obvious that my invention `maybe made .with al plurality of racksconnect'edto form a unit in which there are a plurality of compartments for Vdifferently sized bags. These, however, are arranged all in the same manner, the'bags being inserted and removedin the same manner, the proportions being different to accommodate. differently sized bags; -l

My invention is illustrated in connectionwith the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspectiveview of my bag dispenseing device, illustratingV Vthis as mounted on a wall; f Fig.z2 is avertical section on the line 2-'-2 of Fig. 1 in the direction of the arrows; 1 Fig.- 3is. a detailed section von the lines- 3 Vof Fig. 2 in the direction ofthe arrows;

Fig. 4 'is a perspective diagramshowingthe manner in which `the bags -are folded; Fig. 5 is ajperspective viewof an alternative form showing-a sheet metal construction; y

Fig; 6 is a vertical section throughv the coni struction of Fig.v5, onV the line 6 6.

Reference is firstmade to the manner in which 'the bags designated 11 and illustrated-in Fig. 4

are folded. Such bags have two sides 12 and 13 and .two edges 14. 'The edges 14 are foldedinwardly, leaving the sides .12.and 13 flat. The side 12 is illustrated as having a fold 15 so'that the bottom 16 may have. one flap 17 foldeddownwardly over the side 12. 'y The flap 18 of the other portion of the-bottom is connected to the bottom of the side 13, such-side having no fold. I make use of this mannerof folding-bags in my ydispensing device.'` L

The dispensing device is illustrated as having a rectangular rack structure 19. This has a longitudinal rod 20 at the back at the bottom, another rod '21.' at the top atthe back, a rod 22 at vthe topand in front, a stopbar or rod23 at*y the bottom, and a limit rod 24 on the front adjacent the bottom. At the front there are also intermediate longitudinal rods 25 and 26. Connecting the front and back there are a set of bottom wires or rods 27 and at the sides of the device there are connecting rods or wires 28, 29, 30. At each corner there is a wire connecting the top and bottom indicated at 31 at the back and 32 at the front. A short connecting wire 33 joins the stop bar 23 and the limit bar 24 at each side of a rack.

A track 34 is formed at the top of the rack, this having a rail 35 and supports 36. Mounted on this track there is a flanged roller 37, through which extends an axle 38, and depending from such axle there is a yoke 39, to which is attached a pressure plate 40, such pressure plateV being substantially the size of a folded bag. In construction of the rack formed of wires or rods, such wires orrods at their intersection are preferably electrically welded.

The device or rack, as above described, may be made in to a series of units of different sizes, in which case, as illustrated in Fig. 1, the vertical rods 3l and 32 at the front and back are all bound together by the longitudinal wires or rods 25 and 26 at the front. In the illustration of Fig. 1 the rack designated 41 may be for the large bags, 42 for a smaller size, 43 for a still smaller, 44 for the smallest. For small bags it is desirable to have an additional longitudinal -bar 45. Where the bags are so small that they do not reach the top bar 30, the tracks 46 are inverted, being suspended from the bars 2l and 22. For thesmall racks, such as 45, thetrack 47 may be supported on the longitudinal bars 26 at the front and a longitudinal bar 48 at the back. In the using of my dispensing device, this is supported at an inclination which may be conveniently done by employing lower hooks 49 secured, for instance, in a wall and engaging the lower longitudinal wire or rod .20, and upper longer hooks 50 also secured in the wall which engage the wire rod 21 at the top and rear portion of the rack. This gives the proper tilt to the device.

Packages of bags may be introduced either through the opening or space 51 between the limit rods 24 and the longitudinal bars or rods 25 thereabove or through the space 52 between the upper front rods 22 and the rods 26 next below. On account of the whole rack being made of wire there is plenty space available for inserting the bags in large sized packs. Thus there are stacks of bags in each rack or compartment of the multiple rack considered as a unit. The bags, however, are placed with the folded bottom 16 facing toward the front and with the bottom of the bag at the bottom of the rack.

The weighted pressure plate 40 which is supported by the rollers 37 on the tracks exerts a pressure on the back of the stack of bags, forcing these toward the front, and the lower folded edge of the bottom of the bag and of the side 13 engage the top rail 33. This, preferably, is made either a little larger than the other rods or extends upwardly slightly above the base.- By this construction the bottom of the bagV is held back of the front plane ofthe rack. The bending of the bags causes the flaps 17 of the bottom-and part ofV the folded side 12 to extend outwardly through the opening 51 in the lower part of the front. The bottom of the bag may engage the top or limit rod 24. Therefore, by this construction, the ap 17 formed of the folded'bottom and sheet 68, abottom'69, and a sloping front edge part of the folded side of the bag is in a position for ready grasping by the fingers, allowing the whole bag to be readily removed. When the front and lowermost bag is removed the bag next behind immediately has the flap of the folded bottom forced outwardly so that the lowermost bag is always in position to be readily grasped and removed by the fingers. The device is operated'in the same manner for all ofthe cornpartments of the rack.

In the construction of Figs. 5 and 6 the bag dispenser is preferably made of sheet metal and is Vformed in units, two units 65v and 66 being illustrated. Each unit has a front sheet 67, a back or rim 70, there being one or more openings 71 in each sheet, such openings varying in height, and between each opening there is a strip 72. Secured to each of thefront sheets there is an inwardly turned flange 73, these being at each end, and on eachoi ,the back sheets there fis also Van inwardly turned ange 74. At the end of a unit or series of units there is a closure end plate 75 which is secured toV the flanges v73 and 74 by bolts or screws 76.Y For convenience of manufacture, the flange 73 terminates above the bottom as indicated at 77, this being to avoid an irregular bend by an irregularly bent flange at the section 70. Where provision is. made forV two or more stacks of bags in each unit there 105 arev spacing rods 78 arranged vertically, dividing one of the units into two or more sections; These spacing rods are illustrated as having a rivet head 79, an abutment shoulder'SO engaging the front plate 67, and a nut 81 and lock nut 82 engaging f1() the back plate. Therefore, these spacing rods also function as partitions. Tracks 83 formed of rods extend between the front and back plates over the center of each separate compartment, such compartments being designated at 84. A 1'1`5 flanged roller 85 is mounted' on each of these tracks and has a yoke 86 depending from the axle, and this yoke suspends a pressure plate 87,. this detail mounting of these plates being substantially the same as inthe above mentioned 172'() iigures.

Where it is desired to attach two or more units together, the end plate 75 on a unit is removed from one end so that the flanges 73 and 74 for the adjacent units may be placed face to face, 125 and bolts 88 secure the several units together. And in order to give a finished appearance and a closure end at the end of the whole set of units, plates 75 are used.

It will be noted that the tracks 83 are different 13"() distances above the bottom 69, this depending on the size of the bags.` The openings 71 may also be made of different widths as well as different heights and the stack of bags for each compartment may be inserted through` the top, 35 placing the bags parallel to the track in order to pass such track, and then turningthem onequarter turn to align'the bags with the front plate 67. As mentioned in thev prior description in regard to the wire construction, the pressure plates force the bags toward the front, and the lower folded edge 89 bears against the sloping rim 70 and this forces the upper folded edge 90 outwardly, partly unfolding this so that it may be readily grasped by the lingers to remove a bag. Itv will be seen that this construction, using sheet'metal, is comparatively cheap to manufacture, and that the units may be made up to accommodate any number and sizes of,bags,.and, in addition, should a party wish a greater assort- 156 ile its

from the front sheet, the upper edge of the rimv having an opening in the lower portion thereof,v

a sloping rim extending upwardly and'outwardly from the bottom, the upper edge of the rimforming the bottom of the opening, a track extending between the front and the back andA having a roller thereon with a pressure plate suspended from said roller, the bottom of the rack being adapted to support a stack of bags on a folded edge of the bag bottom, the pressureV plate being adapted to press the stack toward the front, the

rim being adapted to retard the lower folded edge of the foremost bag at the bottom and to force another folded edge of the bag outwardly through said opening, said rim supporting the bag bottom.v y

2. A bag dispensing device comprising a rack having a sheet metal front, means to support said rack with a front and a downward and inward inclination as regards the vertical, a-bottom at right angles to the front, a rim connected to the bottom and extending upwardly and outwardly from said bottom, the upper edge of the rim being in alignment with the front sheet and the lower edge of the rim being positioned inwardly in the rack forming the lower portion of the opening, the lower portion of the rim adjacent the bottom being adapted to engage the lower end of the front bag of a stack of bags resting on the bottom and linclined against the front sheet to force a folded section of the bag outwardly through the opening, the sloping rim forming a support for the lower portion of the bag forced outwardly through the opening' and forming a limit to restrict the unfolding of the folded portion of the bag and a follower element engaging the back of a stack of bags and having means to force the folded section of the front bag outwardly through the opening. Y

3. A bag dispensing device, as claimed in claim 2, a track extending from thefront sheet parallel to the bottom and having a roller mounted thereon, and a pressure plate suspended from said roller, the pressure plate being adapted to bear on the back of a stacky of bags inclined against the front sheet. 1 Y

4. A bag dispensing device comprising in combinationa rack having a front with an opening adjacent the bottom, a bottom extending at right angles to the front, means to support the rack` with the front inclined downwardlyand inwardly, i.

a track' located at ythe upper portion of the rack, a roller thereon, a pressureplate connected to the roller, said pressure plate being adapted to bear against the back of a stack of bags inclined against the front sheet, and means torestrain the lower edge ofleach bag at the openingand force a folded portion of the bag outwardly through said opening. l L

` THOMAS L. KELLY. 

